LAPD probes anti-Jewish slurs in North Hollywood

Police are looking into an argument in which a man hurled hateful taunts at a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke in North Hollywood.

"He made references to Hitler - Hitler should have killed the Jews, that type of stuff," LAPD Detective Craig Kojima said.

The incident started when a woman was backing out of her driveway in the 12600 block of Bessemer Street Sunday evening about 6:25. A man bicycling by blocked her way, and she honked at him.

The woman's son, who is about 30 and was wearing a yarmulke, was nearby. During the ensuing argument, the bicyclist challenged the son to a fight, and then started the anti-Jewish taunts.

Kojima said police believe the incident began as a run-of-the-mill argument, not a hate crime. The encounter was random, and there's no evidence the bicyclist was looking for a Jewish person.

"We believe the suspect saw the yarmulke and just took easy potshots," the detective said.

But police have a description of the bicyclist and will follow up on the case.

Under state law, challenging someone in a public place to fight is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail or a $400 fine. The same penalties apply to using "offensive words in a public place which are inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction."

By Eric Hartley, - LA Daily News